You can forget about sleeping the entire day to make up for those late nights during the week; because according to a new study, a lack and excess of sleep are both linked to chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and obesity.
Published in the journal SLEEP, the study shows that sleeping six hours or fewer; or 10 hours or more a night increases ones chances of developing chronic conditions, especially among people aged 45 and older.
Study researcher Janet B. Croft, Ph.D., a senior chronic disease epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Population Health said: “A healthy, balanced lifestyle is not limited to diet and fitness; when and how you sleep is just as important as what you eat or how you exercise.
Researchers studied the sleeping habits among 54,269 adults who are 45 years and older. The results showed that getting six or less; or 10 or more hours of sleep at night was linked with obesity, frequent mental distress, stroke, diabetes and heart disease.
While everyone’s sleep needs differ, adults generally require between seven to nine hours of sleep at night.
Croft made a point in her statement, stressing on the fact the quality of your sleep determines how well-rested you are: “Sleeping longer doesn’t necessarily mean you’re sleeping well. It is important to understand that both the quality and quantity of sleep impact your health“.
Since it’s quality that counts, here are some tips to help improve the quality of your sleep at night.
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